Army Maj. Howard Gobble, 43rd Medical Detatchment deputy commander, holds one of the animals for which his unit provided veterinary care in Iraq’s Muthanna province. U.S. Army photo(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The improvements to the Samawa veterinary hospital are aimed at helping veterinarians diagnose and treat livestock.

The Muthanna Provincial Reconstruction Team and soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team delivered a new livestock treatment center and an electric generator, which is slated to enhance operations at the hospital, military officials said. The troops also have partnered with the Muthanna farmers union to dispense 500 tons of barley and wheat seeds to local Iraqi farmers.

Additionally, the Muthanna PRT, working with the 3rd Corps’ 43rd Medical Detachment, 1st Medical Brigade, from San Antonio, and Texas A&M University personnel, trained local veterinarians on the latest procedures to diagnose and treat sheep, cattle and camels. The teams used video-teleconferencing to connect local veterinarians with Texas A&M professors.

The team vaccinated, dewormed and dipped 28,000 sheep, and treated more than 150 cattle during a three-day period, officials said.

The medical detachment analyzed animal blood and tissue samples provided by the Muthanna Veterinary Department to diagnose livestock diseases in the province. These evaluations are a useful tool in helping local veterinarians determine preventive and treatment strategies for the region’s livestock, officials said.